Accounting Clerk

Career Overview

Accounting clerks are the record keepers in business environments. In larger businesses they may handle a certain aspect of the accounting responsibilities such as accounts payable clerk, payroll clerk or oversight of payments for loans and monthly accounts.

In smaller businesses an experienced accounting clerk may handle bookkeeping for most or all of the daily transactions. Responsibilities may include posting all incoming payments and daily debits, or cost expenditures. Accounting clerks in this position may also prepare the monthly payroll checks, make tax payments and generally monitor cash flow on behalf of the business owner or manager.

Education

Some accounting clerks are accepted for entry level positions with only a high school diploma. Increasingly however, employers are looking for people that have an associates degree in business or accounting. Entering the accounting field as a clerk with two years' college training in the field opens up the possibility of eventual promotion if the individual takes the job and continues the education process leading to a bachelors degree in accounting.

Current Employment

Accounting clerks and bookkeepers held over two million jobs in 2006, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. They are employed in all industries large and small and in government offices. Many work for tax preparation businesses and payroll services.

Job Outlook

Jobs in this category are expected to grow over the next several years at about the same rate as the overall average for jobs in all categories. Because technology is becoming such a big part of everyday business functions, an associates degree that includes training on popular software programs should be a real plus for the job seeker.

Salary Range

Lowest 10% $9.77 $20,310

Median Salary $15.17 $31,560

Highest 10% $22.87 $47,580